Meet Our Faculty

Lindsay Andreas is a teacher because she believes that by empowering students to learn the difference between how to think and what to think is the only way to overcome injustice and inequality.

Ms. Andreas earned dual undergraduate degrees in History and in Education from American University, where she also earned her M.Ed. degree in Secondary School Education. Prior to joining the Grayson faculty, Ms. Andreas worked in the Washington, D.C. public school system, where she taught AP U. S. Government; U. S. Government and Politics; and D.C. History, all of which were writing-intensive courses. She has also worked with the Close Up Foundation, a nonprofit institution whose mission is to help students “exercise the rights and accept the responsibilities of citizens in a democracy.” During her time with Close Up, she was privileged to work with students from nearly all 50 states, and she worked closely with programs supporting the Bureau of Indian Affairs and English Language Learners.

Ms. Andreas' focus is on meeting the high expectations of her students and the social-emotional support that will help them achieve those high expectations in their learning community.

Amanda Bates is a multi-talented and dedicated educator experienced in leading students of various grade levels and academic abilities.

Ms. Bates earned her M.A. in Educational Leadership from Immaculata University and is a Presidential Member of the Immaculata chapter of the National Society of Leadership and Success. She earned her Bachelors degree from Arizona State University. Ms. Bates has effectively guided classroom activities, tutoring, and evaluating tests and assignments in her prior roles at the Child and Career Development Center, The Goddard School, and Lightbridge Academy.

Ms. Bates is skillful in promoting student engagement through fun teaching methods, individualized attention, and an upbeat attitude.

Amanda Biscoglio brings experience teaching students from grades K-4 in Pennsylvania and Delaware, with a focus on early literacy to The Grayson School.

Ms. Biscoglio received her B.A. and M.Ed. from Wilmington University in Elementary Education and is a member of Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education. She has also coached soccer, taught summer camp, and given guitar lessons to students of all ages.

Ms. Biscoglio inspires a love of learning in her students by creating and offering authentic, fun learning experiences which also help them succeed academically.

In addition to teaching Aerospace Engineering, Advanced Mathematics, Physics, and Russian, Michael Brodine also serves as the Musical Director for the award-winning Gryphonix and Gryphonix Jr. choral ensembles.

Mr. Brodine received his B.A. degree from Villanova University and has completed his post-baccalaureate studies in Pre-Med from the University of Pennsylvania. His deep interest across science, mathematics, languages, and the arts is evident across his elective course offerings at Grayson.

Mr. Brodine studied guitar with American jazz musician Chuck Anderson. He plays various musical styles, including country, bluegrass, jazz, classical, and rock ‘n’ roll. In addition to serving as the staff classical guitarist for the Romig, Carney, and Lewis orchestras, he has performed with the bluegrass band, The Keystone Ramblers, and a rock ‘n’ roll band that reached #49 on the Billboard charts. Mr. Brodine writes and performs original music that has been played on national radio.

Mr. Brodine also holds three patents with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in automotive technology.

Traci Brody’s teaching style is extremely creative and full of energy while remaining structured; her lessons are highly engaging and her enthusiasm is both infectious and inspirational to the students in her classroom.

Ms. Brody earned her undergraduate degree in Elementary Education from The Pennsylvania State University at State College. Joining our faculty after 19 years of teaching middle school students throughout the Philadelphia area, Ms. Brody has been on the cutting edge of mathematics and Spanish education, employing technology and hands-on learning long before those were educational buzzwords. Outside the classroom, Ms. Brody is a passionate athlete, and has been since she earned 10 Varsity letters from Lower Merion High School. A supremely loyal fan of Penn State University, she played for both the Penn State women’s lacrosse team and the Penn State women’s soccer team while completing her undergraduate degree.

Ms. Brody has remained connected to girls’ sports since college not only through coaching at the schools at which she has taught, but also by acting as a coach and/or trainer to multiple township and club soccer teams, including over 20 years with the King of Prussia Girls’ Club. Ms. Brody was inducted into the Philadelphia JCC Maccabi Hall of Fame that honors Philadelphia athletes, coaches, volunteers, and JCC professionals for their outstanding service, accomplishments, ability, integrity, sportsmanship, and character.

Peipei Chen was attracted to the values and culture of the learning community at Grayson, and brings not only proficiency of language, but also a passion for engaging her students in the culture of the languages she is teaching.

A native speaker of Mandarin Chinese, Ms. Chen earned a B.A. in Japanese Language and Linguistics with high distinction from Nanjing University and an M.A. in Japanese Language and Linguistics from Beijing Foreign Studies University. While both her degrees are in Japanese, she has taken numerous courses on Modern Chinese as well as other comparative studies on the Chinese and Japanese languages.

Ms. Chen is a member of TAOLI Chinese Language Educators in the Mid-Atlantic, and has taught at the Great Wall Chinese School and the Chinese Benevolent Association Chinese School in the Philadelphia area, as well as university-level Chinese at The College of Wooster and Swarthmore College. She also provides tutoring and instruction to various private clients in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Ms. Chen is also a member of Omotesenke Domonkai Eastern Region USA, an association of practitioners in the ancient art of the Tea Ceremony. She is also certified to teach this traditional ceremony and has achieved her Omotesenke License, Karamono.

Sophia Coates wants her students to feel comfortable seeking help and asking for the resources they need to succeed. She believes it is most important that her students have space and skills to advocate for their needs, regardless of age or grade level. 

Ms. Coates received an M.S. in Counseling from Villanova University and a B.A. in Education and Psychology from Dickinson College. In addition to her clinical coursework in family systems counseling, therapeutic strategies with children, and psychopathology, she is trained in Crisis and Trauma Management through the American School Counseling Association and completed the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) training that focuses on small group interventions for students impacted by traumatic events.

Annie Connolly-Sporing provides her students with an intentional, personalized, and engaging education that challenges them to stretch their capabilities. She believes it is important for science as a whole to include larger discussions of representation and identity, and wants her students to think critically about science beyond reactions, compounds, and the biological building blocks of life.

Ms. Connolly-Sporing earned a M.S. in Education Policy from Johns Hopkins University and a B.S. with Honors in Chemistry from Haverford College. She also holds a Certificate in Education Finance from the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University. While at Haverford College, Ms. Connolly-Sporing was a recipient of a William Hartzell Trust Scholarship, awarded to students showing “unusually high promise of future distinction.” She also serves as Director of Summer Programming at Grayson, bringing accelerated and challenging enrichment programs to the greater community.

Kelly DiLullo is highly skilled in student-centered learning, student engagement, collaboration and teamwork. She advises our faculty and supports our students in providing differentiated instruction.

After earning her B.S. in Elementary and Special Education from Rivier College, Ms. DiLullo earned her M.Ed. in Gifted Education from Millersville University. She has taught gifted students for over ten years in public schools, and is a recurring presenter at the district, state, and national level for best practices in gifted education.

Ms. DiLullo has developed gifted curriculum and lesson plans, and is successful in both group and individual instruction. She shares, “As an educator, it is important to me to build relationships with my students. When there is trust, respect and understanding between a teacher and student, learning is limitless.”

Mia DiMeo encourages her students to express themselves boldly, whether verbally or in writing; she hopes to learn from them as much as they can learn from her. 

Ms. DiMeo graduated magna cum laude from Bryn Mawr College, receiving an A.B. in English with a minor in Education. In addition to her English and Writing classes, Ms. DiMeo also serves as a Middle School Advisor.

Her favorite part of her job is reading the interesting arguments and ideas her students express through their writing, as she believes words alone can be a superpower.

Abigail DiNardo is dedicated to building a classroom culture focused on inquiry, mathematical rigor, and growth, empowering Grayson students to embrace complex problem-solving.

Ms. DiNardo earned a B.A. in Mathematics from Vassar College, where she was inducted into the Sigma Xi Honor Society for research excellence. Prior to joining Grayson, Ms. DiNardo taught seventh-grade mathematics in a middle school charter setting, where she developed standards-aligned curricula, analyzed student data to craft responsive instruction, and differentiated lessons for a diverse array of advanced and varied learning needs. Her background also includes conducting topological knot theory research at Vassar—authoring published work in the Journal of Knot Theory and Its Ramifications and presenting at regional mathematics conferences, as well as serving as a Student Fellow and peer mentor.

As an educator, Catie Doherty brings learning from her own educational experience in creating an environment of mutual respect.

Ms. Doherty graduated from George Washington University summa cum laude with a B.A. degree in Environmental Studies and a minor in Public Health. She is a strong advocate for environmental and health policy and believes that understanding must be accompanied by getting involved. Her professional experience has involved grassroots organizing and training adults, which she applies to her work in the classroom, sharing that “it is vital to listen to people about their experiences to figure out the areas with the most growth potential.”

A professor in college, who worked in the UN on children’s rights, always reinforced that society needs to do better in acknowledging that children’s inner worlds and understandings are just as rich and complex as adults. Ms. Doherty shares, “My philosophy is treating the children’s emotions (good or bad) and thoughts (logical or wildly silly and creative) with respect and dignity.”

Ashley Freeborn creates a healthy school culture and supports the social and emotional development needs of all Grayson students.

Ms. Freeborn is a state-certified PreK-12 School Counselor. She holds an M.Ed. in School Counseling from Eastern University and an M.Ed. in Education with a focus on Learning, Cognition, and Development from Rutgers University’s Graduate School of Education. She earned her undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice from Temple University and is licensed by WOAR as a Sexual Assault Crisis Counselor. Ms. Freeborn has also earned certification in Youth Mental Health First Aid, Managing Aggressive Behaviors, and Experiential/Adventure Education. Before joining The Grayson School as a teacher, Ms. Freeborn was a life skills counselor for older youth preparing to transition out of substitute care in Philadelphia, helping young adults create goal plans to live independently.

Ms. Freeborn shares, “I find it is most important to trust that children and adolescents know themselves best. I aim to offer compassion, connection, and collaboration while working with students to grow towards their best possible selves as human beings.”

A student of the world, Gabriel Garfinkle has lived abroad to study in Germany, to teach in Brazil, and to lead a grass-roots development project in India. He speaks five languages, including English, German, Portuguese, Hebrew, Spanish, and has a basic familiarity of Hindi.

Mr. Garfinkle earned a B.A. degree in Political Science and German from Connecticut College, and a M.A. degree in Philosophy from Temple University. He has most recently been an Adjunct Professor of Philosophy at Delaware County Community College, teaching Philosophy and Religion courses. Mr. Garfinkle has added his expertise to curriculum and operations for Philly Outdoor Science Education and Main Line School Night. He has also taught classes at The Pennsylvania State University on logic and ethics, at Youth Empowerment Services (YES-Philly) on critical thinking, and at the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School in Maryland with students in K-2 on media literacy, interpersonal skills, languages, mathematics, and reading.

Alyssa Grothaus believes in fostering a love of learning and inquisitiveness that her students can associate with their everyday lives, and her classes are guided by open discussion and hands-on exploratory learning opportunities.

Ms. Grothaus graduated summa cum laude from Elon University with a B.A. in Elementary Education. She previously taught grades 4 and 5 at River Mill Academy in North Carolina. As an undergraduate, Ms. Grothaus studied education on a global scale through an internship in London and completed a research study on the importance of physical activity for activating student attention.

Growing the minds of gifted students is one of her passions and one of the primary reasons Ms. Grothaus chose to become a teacher. She has written differentiated curriculum for elementary mathematics, reading, and science, and has presented at both national and world gifted conferences on teaching gifted English/Language Arts.

Erin Haley helps her students discover that they have something valuable to say and guides them through the writing process to polish their skills across genres, types, and writing styles.

Ms. Haley obtained her B.A. in Writing for Film and Television from the University of the Arts and has earned M.A. degrees in English and History from West Chester University.

Ms. Haley is an accomplished freelance writer and educator, having taught English for five years in the Philadelphia area. She is also a member of the Teacher’s Council at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and of the Teacher Action Group at the National Constitution Center. Ms. Haley is the author of Miss Liberty, a middle grade fiction book published in 2025 by HarperCollins.

Nick Jacques is an extremely creative and inspiring educator with solid mechanical and critical thinking skills. His blend of abilities and life experiences bring great value to our Projects students.

Mr. Jacques has a B.F.A in Painting from the University of Hartford, a B.F.A. in Communication Design from Kutztown University, and an M.F.A. in Painting from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. He was most recently an Associate Professor of Studio Art at Cabrini University.

As an artist, Mr. Jacques shares, “I am always learning from my previous work in anticipation of creating something even more visually powerful and engaging.”

Logan Kelly brings a love of history and an empathetic approach to his teaching that centers on student engagement, reinforcing cooperation, and self-respect so that they are able to think critically about the world around them.

Mr. Kelly holds a B.S. in Secondary Education History from Temple University. His student teaching experience included assignments at both the Eisenhower Science and Technology Leadership Academy and Horace Furness High School. He participated in the development of Social Studies curriculum for the Philadelphia School District in collaboration with WHYY pertaining to African-American history, and in adapting Social Studies curriculum for increasing student engagement using video creation.

Holly Klavans is an independent artist and art educator who believes in building a love of art, art history, and creative expression in her students.

Ms. Klavans earned a B.S. in Art Education from The Pennsylvania State University. She has developed art lessons for students of all ages through Penn State's Saturday Art School and the Wayne Art Center. She is an active community volunteer, also sharing her talents for art and teaching with The Children's Charity and Art Goes to School of Delaware County.

Mary Lawson has spent her career as a teacher, advocate, tutor, and consultant working with families and students whose educational needs are not met in typical school environments. She is particularly interested in guiding reading comprehension, written expression, and executive functioning with her students.

Ms. Lawson holds a B.A. degree in Elementary Education with a minor in Special Education from Lock Haven University. She has taught Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten classes at The Goddard School, Brooke Elementary School, and Oaks Elementary School. Ms. Lawson has also been an Education Consultant and as a Peer Monitor at the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Bureau of Special Education. She once served as the Chairperson of the Chester County Right to Education Task Force.